Effect of putrescine tretaments on primary, secondary metabolite contents and quality properties of strawberry fruits

Strawberries are known for their tendency to soften rapidly and become susceptible to decay, underscoring the importance of preserving them under proper storage conditions. In this study, strawberries were preserved by applying different doses of putrescine (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM) to reduce losses during storage and maintain the concentration of bioactive compounds in the fruit. The fruits were stored at +4°C and 90% humidity for 21 days, and changes in quality parameters during storage were determined through analyses and measurements conducted every 7 days. The study examined various quality parameters including weight loss, decay rate, fruit firmness, soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), pH, fruit color properties (L*, a*, b*, chroma, and hue angle), and specific biochemical characteristics (organic acids, phenolic compounds). Depending on different putrescine applications, increases in weight loss, decay rate, SSC, and TA values were generally observed in the control group fruits over various storage periods, while decreases were observed in organic acids and phenolic compounds. Throughout the study, putrescine positively influenced fruit quality parameters, reducing losses. The most suitable dose for fruit weight loss was 1.5 mM, while 1.0 mM was recommended for SSC value. It was observed that 1.0 mM dose was more effective in preserving pH, TA, fruit color, and respiration rate parameters. To prevent the loss of organic acids and phenolic compounds, doses of 1.5 mM and 1.0 mM were found to be more effective, respectively.